Separating apron for green-pea-vine hullers



0 1 a Oct 7 F. HAMACHEK SEPARATING APRON FOR GREEN PEA VINE HULLERS F iled Jan. 11. 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 IIIIIFI WITNESSES a 472% F. HAMACHEK SEPARATING APRON FOR GREEN PEA VINE HULLERS Oct. 1 1, 1927.

2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Jan. 11. 2

FIG. Z

FIJIMIIIIIIJII l llJ-lll 17 INVENTOR t /1O I e l: [I j ATTORNEY Patented Oct. 11, 1927.

UNITED STATES FRANK HAMACI-IEK, or KnwAUNnn, viIscoNs'In, AsstGNo'R T0 FRANK HAMACHER; MACHINE COMPANY, ornnwnnnnn, wi'scoNsIN; A conr'on'ar'roN on- Wisconsin.

SEPARATING Arson FOR GREEN-PEA-VINE nnnnnns.

Application filed January 11, 1924:

This invention has for its object to improve the construction of I green pea vine hu-llers in such a manner as to increase the life of the separating. apron by protecting it from wear and by providing it with adjustments which may check the destructive tendency of the apron to creep to one side.

Another object of the invention is to provide a separating apron for green peavine hullers with adjustments whereby its incline may be changed to adapt it for limabeans and other crops.

Another object of the invention is to improve the sanitary conditions by guarding against the crushing of peas and by providingfor' quick disposal of crushed peas and dirt so that they will not tend to gather on the separating apron or other parts.

TVith the above and other objects in view the invention consists in the separating apron for green pea vine hulling machines as herein claimed and all equivalents.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, in which like characters of reference indicate the same parts in different views,

Fig. 1 is a transverse sectional view of a green pea vine hulling machine equipped with a separating apron constructed in ac cordance with this invention;

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the separating apron;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view at one side of the conveyer showing the adjusting means therefor;

Fig. d is a similar view showing a modified Fig. 5 is a side view of the lower end of the conveyer showing its adjusting means, and

Fig. 6 is a sectional detail view showing the discharge chute for material that finds its'way to the edge of the apron;

In these drawings, 10 indicates the frame, in which is mounted a heater drum 11 sur rounded by a screen drum 12 as usual for effecting the opening of peas and their separation from the vines and pods. Beneath the screen drum is an inclined separating apron 13' traveling upwardly around-polygonally shaped rollers 14L and 15 carried by a conveyer frame 16. The'loose'peas andchaft falling through the openings of the screen drum land on the ascending separating apron, the inclination of which is such as to Serial No; 885,652.

cause the spherical peas to roll downuwhile the dirtand chaff follow along with the:

apron in its upward travel, thus effecting theirseparation. The jerking: motion given to the. apron by the angular shapes ofthe rollers- 14 and 15-preven'ts-the peas from lodging-on the-apron and being carried along with the dirt and chad and keeps themin motionfso that they will r'oll down freely. v

The apron is provided at intervals with; cross slats 17 to keepit extended because-its" width is equalto the length of the" screen drum, about thirteen feet. These slats also tend to give support to the upper'bighjt of the apron for they ride on guides 18' supported by the conveyer frame and their ends slide along shelves 19, six or seven inches.

wide, mounted on brackets on the side mem= l rs of the conveyer frame16. Theseslats:

single line of deposit which .would'ca'use the apron to wear excessively at that place, the two guard boards 22 are divergent, spread ing farther apart at the upper end of the apron, thus distributing the material d-e posited therefrom over a broadarea of the apron surface. touch the apron, but clear it sufficiently to prevent the jerking movements of the apron bringing it in contact therewith and so avoid wear that would otherwise occur, and to prevent peas from rolling overthe. edge of the" apronan inclined-flexible flap 23 is securedto the'bottomof each guard board, as shownin Fig. 3, or tothe conveyer frame, as'shown in Fig. l, and rests lightly on the surface-of the apron. 1

lVhile' the presence of the'fiaps'23tends to prevent peas and dirt 'reaching the edge of the apron, further precautionis necessary ordesirable to prevent peas and dirt from! reaching the interior surface of the apron, where they will tend to build up a massof plastic matter on the rollers, which will The guard boards do not I in a metal plate 30 rigidly fixed at the corguards and flaps will be carried along the shelves 19 by means of the slats 17 scraping the upper surface of the shelves and until they reach the end of the shelves where they are scraped into an inclined metal chute 24, by which they are conducted away from the apron, as shown in Fig. 6.

Because of the great width of the separating apron, it is difficult to cause it to run true without a tendency to creep to one side or the other, and itis found that by raising the side toward which it creeps the tendency may he checked and for this reason each of the" side members 16 of the conveyer j frame is made independently adjustable.

Near its upper end it is fulcrumed on a bolt 'to the frame 10 and near its lower end it is provided with a T-headedbolt 26 having'a Wood screw 27 passed through one end of its head to prevent it from turning. This bolt extends through a slot in the sheathing 28, whichforms a casing on the frame surrounding the parts, and through a slot 29 ner of the frame. A toothed washer 31 on the bolt 26 engages a toothed surface of the plate 30 and serves to lock the conveyer frame side member in any pivotal adjustment. By loosening the nut of bolt 26 the side member of the conveyer frame may be raised or lowered to the desired position atwhich the apron will not creep and then this warped position of the frame is retained bytightening the nut. Furthermore, this adjustment at each side member of the conveyer frame permits of the angularity of the inclined conveyer apron being changed to suit different conditions. In separating such crops as lima beans a greater inclination of the separating apron .is required in order to cause the irregularly shaped beans to roll down and this may be accomplished by. the adjusting means provided. a

To further prevent the bruising of peas and the lodgment of bruised peas which .may produce unsanitary conditions and in order to avoid the useof an enclosure for the idle rollers 32 which support the screen drum 12, inclined guards 33 are provided over said idle rollers to deflect falling material away therefrom and so prevent peas being crushed thereby,'and they are mounted on the housing 28 with such an inclina tion as to shed'the material, thus making them self-cleaning.

By meansof this invention a material advance has been made in the avoidance of the crushing of peas by the mechanism Within the housing and in the avoidance of the possibility of crushed peas becoming lodged where they may sour and develop bacteria or fungus growths to be later communicated to the pack when they are dislodged. The machine is made self-cleaning to a greater extent than before and particularly is this true with respect to the separating apron, the slats of which constantly adaptable for different crops by changing the incline of the apron. I

lVhat I clalm as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a green pea vine hulling machine, an inchnedseparatmg apron comprising in combination with the machine frame, in-

clined side frame members pivotally mounted thereon near their upper ends and independently adjustably connected therewith at their lower ends, drums mounted across the upper and'lower ends of the side frame.

members, a'separating apron passing around the drums, slats secured-Ito the inner face of the apron and extending beyond the edges thereof, and shelves carried by the side frames with the ends of the slats bearing thereon, the independent adjustment of the lower ends of the side frames permitting a warping of the conveyer to prevent the apron from creeping.

2. In a green pea vine hulling machine, a

separating apron comprising in combination with the machine frame of side frames inside the machine frame and pivotally mount ed thereon at one side of the machine and vertically adjustably mounted at the other side of the machine, rollers mounted on the side frames at the two sides of the machine, one roller being at a greater elevation than the other, a conveyerbelt passing around the rollers, and guides for the edges of the conveyer belt mounted on the side frames to. remain in their guiding relation with the belt in all adjustments of the side frames.

.3. In a green pea vine hulling machine, a separating apron comprising in combination with the machine frame ofside frames pivotally mounted. thereon atone side of the machine, an inclined conveyer apron supported between the side frames, and means for adjustably warping the apron to check a tendency of the apron tov creep to one side.

consisting of means for independently adjusting vertically either side frame on its pivotal connection.

4. In a green pea vine hulling machine, an inclined separating apron comprising in combination with the main frame, side frames pivotally mounted thereon at one side of the machine and adjustably mounted thereon at the other side of the machine, drums mounted on the side frames at both sides of the machine, an apron passing around the drums, slats secured to the inner face of the apron and extending beyond the edges thereof, shelves mounted on the side frames and forming guides on which the ends of the slats bear, and an inclined guard on each side frame overhanging the edge of the apron.

5. In a green pea vine hul'ling machine, an inclined separating apron comprising in combination with the main frame, side frames pivotally mounted thereon at one side of the machine and adjustably mounted thereon at the other side of the machine, drums mounted on the side frames at both sides of the machine, an apron passing around the drums, slats secured to the inner face of the apron and extending beyond the edges thereof, shelves mounted on the side frames and forming guides on which the ends of the slats hear, an inclined guard on each side frame overhanging the edge of the apron, and a flexible flap mounted beneath the guard and bearing on the apron near the edge thereof.

6. In a green pea vine hulling machine, a separating conveyer comprising an inclined apron, slats on the under surface thereof, guide shelves on which the slats slide for scraping along the shelves material which may pass over the edge of the apron, and chutes at the ends of the guide shelves to receive the material scraped therefrom and to conduct it away from the apron.

7 In a green pea vine huller, a separating conveyer comprising in combination with the frame of the machine side frames pivotally mounted thereon at one side of the machine and adjustably mounted thereon at the other side of the machine, rollers mounted on the side frames, an inclined apron passing around the rollers, slats extending across the inner surface of the apron, guide shelves secured to the side frames and having the slats slide thereon to scrape along the shelves material which i may pass over the edges of the apron, and chutes on the side frames at the ends of the shelves to receive the material therefrom and to conduct it away from the apron.

8. In a green pea vine hulling machine, a separating apron comprising a frame 111- eluding rollers, an apron passing around the rollers and forming an inclined conveyor apron, and means for checking the tendency of the apron to creep to one side comprising means for warping the frame.

9. In a green pea. vine hulling machine, a frame, a housing thereon, side frames pivotally mounted within the housing, rollers mounted on the side frames, an inclined apron passing around the rollers, and means for directing the travel of the apron by warping its support by adjusting the side frames on their pivotal connections comprising bolts secured to the side frames and passing through slots in the housing, toothed plates on the housing having slots through which the bolts pass, toothed clamping members on the bolts for engaging the teeth of the plates, and nuts threaded on the bolts for securing the clamping members in toothed engagement with the teeth of the plates.

10. In a green pea vine hulling machine, an inclined separating apron comprising in combination with the machine frame, inclined side frame members inside the machine frame and pivotally mounted thereon near their upper ends, drums mounted across the upper and lower ends of the side frame members, a separating apron passing around the drums, slats secured to the inner face of the apron and extending beyond the edges thereof, shelves mounted on the side frames with the ends of the slats bearing thereon, and means for preventing the apron from creeping adapted to warp the conveyor by independent adjustment by the lower ends of the side frames.

In testimony whereof, I aflix my signature.

FRANK HAMAOHEK. 

